Answer to Question 10: How to Help Kids Retain Their Imagination

This issue goes way back for me, long before I had kids. Some people fit right into structured school environments. I was too animated and imaginative and had to struggle to focus on boring teachers. When I got to college and was able to take interesting courses like Psychology, Sociology and Communications, I thought, wow, if HS had taught me anything interesting or applicable to my life... I would have mentally attended. Unfortunately, after a few years (ok, months), even college got boring. Some of the professors wanted to hear my thoughts on their curriculum, and only their curriculum. That was unfortunate (for my GPA), because I always preferrred to write about how their stuff related to something else I was studying on the side. Some professors appreciated my active mind and became friends, others explained that they were in charge, my dear, F for you.

I spent many hours explaining to my parents why it was more important to actually LEARN than have a high number next to my name. I did understand that, by doing so, I would severely limit my money making options in life. You'll change, they said, when you get older, you'll care more about security and creature comforts, you like beautiful things. I didn't care then, I don't care now, at least not enough to make that the fulcrum of my decisions. I eventually did get some very high paying jobs, and gave them up. The inner world had long been more present and important to me. Once you know it, you know that the material world can never offer what it does: the knowledge, understanding & peace. I love the material world. It is beautiful. But, you don't need that much money to enjoy it

Being so different makes you look at society and question. Let's face it. Our educational system is not designed to create artists. Art, as any child can tell you, is intrinsically fun. We don't need to motivate people to do it, we need to motivate people to forget about their imagination and love of creativity so they will happily sit in their offices and do grunt work when they're older. Otherwise we would not have this wonderfully productive society which allows a few incredible wealth and has all the rest of us thinkin we could get that too, if we follow the rules. And some do, we're constantly presented with the lifestyles of the rich and lucky to remind us to follow the rules, we could then live like that.

What saddens me the most about this constant process of roboticizing children is that, for so many, the spiritual, creative cut-off comes before they have the power to fight it. And the parents rarely fight it for them because they often don't understand what their children are losing, because they lost it themselves, long ago. I fought to retain it, it was worth the fight for me, and I've done everything I could to retain it for my kids. Besides creating the right environment at home, I went into their school and fought for, and got, more "enrichment" programs. My son created incredible art when younger, by 12, (hell, by 10) his schedule is so full of activities ( some of which, like acting, are creative) he barely has time to make his films.

We all sell out to some degree, but keep your soul, keep your imagination as long as you can. When it goes, you don't get a notice, so look for the signs. What do you feel in your silence? Can you even handle stillness, or do you feel the continuing need to buy more stuff, get more power & popularity? What motivates you? What thrills you? What turns you on? Sometimes we get on the treadmill and can't get off, it becomes habitual and we forget what it feels like to be really happy.